Ahead of the Saudi-US summit set for Tuesday, the Saudi government-owned newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported Monday that over the past few weeks, five senior Saudi officials have already traveled to Washington for preliminary meetings with their American counterparts. Those discussions focused on preparations for the White House summit between US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Senior Saudi commentators who spoke with the paper said Riyadh is expected to try to persuade Washington to adopt its approach to the Palestinian issue. They also stressed that Saudi Arabia places major importance on acquiring advanced weaponry and air-defense systems.
Among the officials who traveled to Washington were Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, the brother of Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman; State Minister Musaad al-Aiban; Economy and Planning Minister Faisal al-Ibrahim; Communications Minister Abdullah al-Swaha; and Public Investment Fund Governor Yasir al-Rumayyan.
Strategic partnership
The discussions with the American side dealt with the strategic partnership and with regional and international developments. Issues on the agenda included cooperation on AI, advanced technology, investments and economic ties.
Political analyst Munif al-Harbi told Asharq Al-Awsat that the crown prince's visit is expected to include a diplomatic dimension and talks on possible solutions in the Middle East, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a ceasefire in Gaza, and support for stabilizing the situation in Syria and Sudan.
He estimated that the Palestinian issue will certainly be present, along with what he called the "importance of creating a just and permanent solution through a two-state path and the establishment of a Palestinian state". He predicted that all files of mutual strategic interest would come up for discussion, including the Syrian file, the war in Sudan, the Yemeni file, the Lebanese file, and even the war in Ukraine, where Riyadh has served as a mediator.
"The timing of the visit is important for Saudi Arabia at a moment when it has succeeded in strengthening both its regional and international ties and has adopted a policy of positive neutrality", al-Harbi said. He added that "this positive neutrality may allow the kingdom, given the regional and global shifts, to play a role not only in regional matters but also in addressing international issues and serving as a reliable mediator amid global polarization."
Al-Harbi and another political commentator, Ahmed al-Ibrahim, noted that the acquisition of advanced US weapons and air-defense systems for the Saudi military is of paramount importance for the kingdom. This comes in addition to the mutual interest in deepening ties and expanding investments, including in AI.
Al-Ibrahim said the talks are expected to include rounds of political negotiations aimed at persuading Washington of the Saudi perspective, a position shared by many Arab and Muslim states, particularly regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution.
He said the "visit could become a cornerstone of this file, which enjoys international support". The Saudi commentator also hinted that the outcomes of the summit between President Donald Trump and Prince Mohammed bin Salman could be exceptional and include major understandings that may benefit the region in the coming years, including in security, investment or technological alliances.
"Circles in Washington view the visit as a full reset of relations. Prince bin Salman is entering Washington as the man of the future in the Middle East, not merely as part of a traditional diplomatic visit", al-Harbi said.
